An Afghan Celebrates Carnival

Standing behind a row of beer taps, the bartender smiles at his customers. He draws a beer, hands it to them and turns up the volume on the music. A popular melody floats across the smoky air, and the guests sing along, lifting their beer glasses in a toast.

It’s Carnival time in Bonn–Buschdorf, a small village outside Germany’s former capital. And the town is gathered for a few beers and lively talk in the local pub, "Old Buschdorf".

During this time of the year, colorfully decorated pubs throughout the Rhine region open their doors to party-hungry guests, but Buschdorf’s old town pub is slightly different.

It’s owned and operated by an Afghan family.

So instead of the usual older, heavy-set German typically found in small village pubs, a young Afghan tends to the taps and chats with his guests. His name is Feros and he’s 20 years old.

Second Home

Sixteen years ago Feros’ family left Afghanistan and came to Germany. First they went to Rüdisheim on the Rhine and then to Bonn, where Feros grew up, learned German and went to school.

"Bonn is pretty okay. It’s my second home, after Afghanistan," Feros says.

A year ago Feros and his mother and father took over the ownership of Bushdorf’s oldest bar and restaurant, turning the turn-of-the-century building into a popular meeting point for the village.

In the summer, the courtyard behind the house doubles up as a beer garden with colorful lights. Feros and his father grill lamb steaks on a giant grill and serve traditional Afghan fare on long picnic tables.

During the winter, the pub is rather quiet. Only the regulars come, sit around the bar and exchange stories.

But at Carnival time, Feros’ pub livens up. It becomes the "royal headquarters" of Buschdorf’s own Carnival prince and princess. Every night Gerd III and Ilona I reign over the foolish festivities. They drink beer, buy rounds for the other regulars, laugh and tell jokes.

The business of fun

This is the first year Feros and his family will be directly involved in organizing traditional Carnival activities. And they’ve got a lot planned.

All the festivities will break out on Thursday with the traditional "Weiberfastnacht" or Women’s Carnival. For the big night, the family has installed a sound system and set up a beer keg in the garden. There’s even a dance floor and a disco lamp, and a local Buschdorf band will stop in for a few rounds of merry-making.

"It’s going to be a big party here," Feros says sweeping his hands confidently around the pub.

The people will come and laugh, drink, eat and have a good time, he says.

Asked why he’s going to so much effort to impress the people of Buschdorf, Feros replies, "I want to show everyone what we can do."

As for costumes, an integral part of Carnival, the barkeeper has that worked out too. "I’ll probably go as a devil, with a scary mask," he says, "or maybe with a clown’s nose."

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Clowning around

For people who have never experienced Carnival, the festivities might seem strange, Feros admits. Even his own parents laugh and shake their heads when they see the "crazy" Germans dressing up and acting silly.

But Feros grew up celebrating Carnival, and he loves it. As a young boy in school he joined his friends in all the season’s celebrations.

"We used to go to all the Carnival parades - we always knew where they were taking place. We collected so much candy that we had enough to last for a whole year," Feros recalls fondly.

And now he’s experiencing Carnival from a different perspective, behind the bar watching his customers enjoy themselves.

"I always have the music turned up loud for the guests. I know all the Carnival songs by heart," Feros confesses.

His favorite song is "Dä Sultan hat Doosch!", a catchy little tune in Cologne dialect about a thirsty Sultan and his caravan.

As a Muslim, Feros has no real problem with the sometimes hefty bouts of alcohol. "I take it all in stride," he says. "It’s like pork; it’s not for me, but it doesn’t bother me."

"Jeck muß sein"

The best part about Carnival is that everyone can just be themselves, Feros explains.

As the German saying goes, "Jeck muß sein" or foolishness rules the day during Carnival, when people let it all hang out. And Feros hopes this is the case in Old Buschdorf, that his guests will relax and have a good time.

"Everyone is different from their normal self, everyone is happy and just wants fun," Feros says and smiles, "and I get to work and celebrate at the same time."